What I don't like about the True Fit

dhardawa

Active member
There are a ton of things I really like about this seat, but they are the general things that have been discussed here like the high slots, high rear facing weight, thick EPS foam lining the entire inside of the seat, etc. I also have to say, they have done a very good job of labeling things like the belt paths and what harness slots can be used for rear facing vs forward facing. But, here is what I don't like.
  • The harness is too wide to lay flat through the buckle tongue pieces. It is forced to crumple a bit. This also causes problem tightening because you have to reach down and pull the harness through that part manually. I also foresee major harness fraying at this point. Also, the slot in the cover where the shoulder belts go through is too narrow which causes the harness to want to fold there too.
  • The manual says the farthest out position for the buckle is for kids over 50 lbs. It also says to use the position closest to the child without being under him. Max is 8 months old and the middle position (the farthest out I can use for a child under 50 lbs) is already under him.
  • Overall, I worry that the seat is WAY too complex for the average parent. While I can easily use all the features, I worry that parents will make a ton of mistakes when installing. But, I guess that is what we're around for.

Now, don't get me wrong. Overall I really like the seat. It has really low bottom harness slots that would be great for newborns and it is SO well padded. I also love how the cover comes off. It really couldn't be any easier! In all, the harness issues are the ones that worry me the most.
 
ADS

scatterbunny

New member
I think overall it's a great seat, and not any more complicated for a CPS-newbie to use than, say, a Britax convertible. :) I also think the wider harness webbing was done on purpose, to keep the buckle tongs from sliding down into the seat, under the child, making it harder to dig them out to buckle. The Radian was/is the same way, but SKJP offered larger buckle tongs to customers who had a problem with the smaller ones. IIRC, it did cause some fraying issues, as well. Maybe you should let Compass/Learning Curve know it is/could potentially be a problem? I'd do the same about the crotch strap positions. Overall, I like it much better than the EFTA, and even that's a decent lower-cost higher weight harnessed seat.
 

solmama

Active member
Overall, I'm very happy with this seat! It installed quickly and easily in our van and my ds seems comfortable.

I agree, the buckle tongs could be an issue. However, the harness does not fold as much as the Radian did/does.

I don't really know about the crotch buckle being a problem. My ds is 25 months, and tiny at 34" and 25lbs. The crotch strap is on the middle slot (and it sure is easy to move, yay!) and he has some room to grow.

I love this seat! For the price we paid, it's a bargain. I had no problem figuring out how to install it properly (I read the manual, of course, which is key:)). I even love all the little gadgets-the lockoffs, the way the harness adjusts, how the crotch buckle moves, the little slots in the cover so everything is easy to access, storage for the latch hooks. Seriously, I could play with this seat for a long time. I'm so happy to have this seat! Very nice.
 

firemomof3

New member
Overall I really like this seat too. But I am finding that it is difficult to tighten the harness, it always seems that one side is loose. But so far, that is the only issue and it really isn't that big of a deal. I bought 2 of them for under $200 so I really can't complain!!
Today I put my daughter's friend who is almost 6y/o 46" tall and 45lbs. in the True Fit and her shoulders were well below the top harness slot. Thursday I'm hoping to put a tiny 3mo. in the seat w/ the infant padding to see how the seat will accomidate a small infant. I'll let you know!
 

ZephyrBlue

New member
I've found that one side of the harness always seems to be loose, as well, even when I tighten the heck out of it. And slot in the cover where the harness comes out is too narrow on one side of ours, causing the harness to fold over a bit. I'm guessing the same thing will happen w/the harness fraying, too, because of the width.

Overall, I love the seat. I'd recommend it just as highly as a Britax convertible in terms of materials and features. Time will tell how Compass handles any issues/recalls. I love how wide the inside area of the seat is; my kids are peanuts, but for heavy children, I think the fit will be so much better than the MA, for example.

My 5yo, who has been in love with her Nautilus since the day we bought it, loves the TF. I may wind up putting DS in the TF when DD's Frontier gets here, but I can see a fight coming out of that. They both really like this seat. My almost 8yo was bummed that she's too tall for it, LOL.
 

Kalinky

Senior Community Member
I think the harness tightening issue you are having is coming from the fact that the 2 lower lateral harness points communicate underneath the seat. I had the same issue. If you pull out on both harness straps at the buckle tong to get them even and then insert them into the buckle it helps. So get it even on the bottom and then since the tightening pulls from the shoulder points, it should be even.

I noticed the tongs being a *little* snug on the harness as well, but I don't think they're as tight as the Radian's tongs.

I actually felt like it was pretty user-friendly. LATCH and seatbelt installs seemed super-easy to me.
 
Last edited:

tl01

New member
I think the harness tightening issue you are having is coming from the fact that the 2 lower lateral harness points communicate underneath the seat. I had the same issue. If you pull out on both harness straps at the buckle tong to get them even and then insert them into the buckle it helps. So get it even on the bottom and then since the tightening pulls from the shoulder points, it should be even.

/QUOTE]

We had this problem in the beginning until I realized about how the harnesses "communicate." Now I've figured out how to keep them even or readjust them once DS is in the seat:)
 

Sceason1972

New member
Are you scooting his bottom all the way into the seat? It's easy with babies to let them slouch too much in convertable seats, thus making it look like the crotch strap is under them.


Older kids sit up straighter on their own, btu with babies you have to make sure there bottom is ll teh way back and their os no apce between their back and the seat.

FYI - I have not used a True Fit, but did find the above to be a problem in other seats and am assuming that could be the problem here too.
 

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